At the end of 2004, Genini Danelli paid what locals call a “consul” $10,000 to take him to Mexico and across the border into the US. The 44-year-old construction worker from the Brazilian city of Governador Valadares has had a poor return on his investment.

Working on building sites in Boston, New Jersey and most recently in North Carolina, Mr Danelli earned about $500 (€315, £251) a week when times were reasonably good. Even so, it took him a 1½ years to pay off the debt, and in the past year or so things have gone downhill rapidly.